Patent GB-825230-A (GB)
Title: Spring suspension system
IPC: B60G11/23
Filed: 1956-09-27
Abstract: 825,230. Equalizing load on road-vehicle spring-suspensions. GOODRICH CO., B. F. Sept. 27, 1956 [Sept. 27, 1955], No. 29530/56. Class 108(2) A vehicle spring suspension comprises a spring 15 connected between each road wheel 13 and the chassis frame 10 and means hydraulically interconnecting the spring 15 of one wheel 13 with the spring of another wheel 13 and responsive to impart a levelling force to the frame' 10 adjacent the latter spring 15, the hydraulic means including further spring means for elastically resisting communication of deflecting forces between the springs 15 to resist pitching motion of the frame 10, and means for varying the elastic resistance of the further spring means. Each road wheel 13 of a four wheel vehicle is connected to an arm 17 rigid with the outer rigid sleeve 15 of a rubber torsion spring having a rubber sleeve 21 and an inner rigid sleeve 24 as described in Specification 616,299. The latter is rigid with an arm 28 which is journalled on the vehicle frame 10 and has its end 29 in abutment with the plunger 30 of a hydraulic cylinder 22. Liquid is fed to the cylinder 22 by a conduit 33 and acts on the plunger 30 to provide by virtue of the arm 28, an abutment for the torsion spring 15. The conduit 33 is connected by a valve 45 to a pressure supply conduit 46 or an exhaust conduit 47, according to the position of a piston valve in the valve housing 45 as determined by the position of the wheel-carrying arm 17 which is connected to an extension rod 107 of the piston valve by means of a spring 109. The piston valve is also connected by a rod 108 and spring 112 with the vehicle frame 10. The conduit 46 is connected to a pump which draws from a reservoir (Fig. 1, not shown). The conduit 47 is connected with the reservoir. The conduits 46 and 47 are connected also to respective valve housings 45 for the suspensions of the other three wheels. The conduit 33 is also connected to a conduit 37 which leads to one end of a cylinder 40 (Fig. 3) the other end of which is connected by a conduit 36 to the cylinder 22 of the suspension at the other end of the same side of the vehicle. The cylinder 40 is partitioned by a piston 57 having a rod 58 which is connected at 66 to one end of each of a pair of springs 69, 69, the other ends of which are connected to a yoke 70 which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle frame 10 independently of the connection 66. An arm 74 rigid with the yoke 70 enables the latter to be deflected as shown in dot dash lines by the reciprocation of a rod 79. The latter may be actuated in accordance with the application of the vehicle brakes or may be actuated at will by the driver. The wheel suspensions on the other side of the vehicle are similarly connected to a second cylinder 40. In operation, when say, the front near side wheel meets an obstacle and is deflected upwardly, increased pressure is thereby applied to the liquid in the cylinder 22, and this acts through the conduit 36 to one side of the piston 57 in the cylinder 40. The piston 57 is thus deflected to a greater or lesser extent against the resistance of the springs 69, 69, their resistance depending upon the degree of inclination of the yoke 70. Movement of the piston 57 thus pressurizes liquid in the cylinder 22 of the near side rear suspension and thus causes the frame 10 to be raised relative to the road wheel at the rear end of the vehicle. On an increase in static load consequent to .deflection of the wheel-carrying arm 17 acting through the springs 109, the piston valve in the housing 45 admits pressure liquid from the conduit 46 to the cylinder 22. A restricted orifice between opposite sides of the piston valve prevents movement of this valve corresponding to comparatively rapid suspension movements. The cylinder 40 and springs 69, 69, may be replaced by a cylinder 83 (Fig. 7) and valves 80. The conduit 36 or 37, in this case, is connected to an input port 36 of the valve 80 and an output port 81 is connected to one end of the cylinder 83, the other end of which is connected to the suspension at the other end of the vehicle. The outlets in the valve 80 of the ports 36 and 81 are adapted to be closed by a valve element 97 actuated by fluid pressure from a conduit 90 which may be connected to the vehicle braking system or to a control actuated by the driver. There may be a diaphragm 101 of rubber disposed between the valve element 97 and the outlets of the ports 36 and 81. A piston 85 is centred by springs 87, 88 in the cylinder 83. Similar springs may be disposed on either side of the-piston 57 in the cylinder 40. Specification 616,299 is referred to. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 633,384.